Elephants are a remaining worry with regard to the structure I have built as the Leopard Transit Zone. In the last year alone elephants have destroyed over 400 buildings in Bardia district. A big bull elephant came into the area near Dipnani's den a week ago and two nights ago a herd of about twenty elephants came through. So far the structure has stood strong, I'm relieved, a lot of sweat has gone into this. The leopard Dipnani, a truly wild soul, plays her part with full on warning roaring growls. Elephants and big cats are risk averse (very different from fear) and will keep away from each other when they can so as to avoid injury. However if these elephants had known Dipnani is still only an early sub adult, not that big, they may have acted differently but the way the den is set up, Dipnani can see out while other living beings cannot see in.
Last night I gave a talk to a group of American university students here on a study tour. The talk was based around coexistence with panthera pardus although other conservation elements were brought in. At the end the feedback was they were appreciative I had not romanticized the situation in any way. In fact by the end when I showed them images which included baby leopards there were no exclamations of "cute" or "adorable"... by then the reality had sunk in. It's vital this generation truly grasps the reality and issues like poverty are not put in the too hard basket as our generations have done.
Sadly, virtually at the same time as I was talking to these students, another child was taken by leopard in an area not far away along our latitudinal belt. I know exactly what is going through the minds of those villagers right now, I know exactly that grief and fear are breeding retaliation...
Last night I gave a talk to a group of American university students here on a study tour. The talk was based around coexistence with panthera pardus although other conservation elements were brought in. At the end the feedback was they were appreciative I had not romanticized the situation in any way. In fact by the end when I showed them images which included baby leopards there were no exclamations of "cute" or "adorable"... by then the reality had sunk in. It's vital this generation truly grasps the reality and issues like poverty are not put in the too hard basket as our generations have done.
Sadly, virtually at the same time as I was talking to these students, another child was taken by leopard in an area not far away along our latitudinal belt. I know exactly what is going through the minds of those villagers right now, I know exactly that grief and fear are breeding retaliation...
